Incandescent lamps convert a miniscule fraction of electrical energy into visible light, whereas fluorescent lamps are many times as efficient energy converters and, thus, are energy savers. Also, as the useful life of a fluorescent lamp is usually much longer than that of an incandescent lamp, replacement labor cost is much lower.
Conventional floodlights and spotlights have incandescent lamps and are quite bright and hot in use, whereas fluorescent lamps run much cooler, are generally less bright, and are more difficult to focus for such usage. Conventional incandescent lamps have no extra space for the ballasts required by fluorescent lamps. Incandescent spotlights and floodlights have Edison-type screw-in bases, wherein fluorescent lamps customarily have bayonet or plug-in base contacts.
One-piece cylindrical fluorescent lamps with screw-in bases are known that lack both a lens and access to the ballast. Their throwaway design is limited to standard incandescent lamp uses. Lim U.S. Pat. No. 4,746,840 shows and describes a fluorescent lamp assembly with removable components but with constraints limiting its utility.